The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The residential training camp of the national football team for the two ensuing international soccer tournaments began Tuesday afternoon at the BKSP in Savar.

Twenty-three booters out of the preliminarily selected 28 joined the training camp on Tuesday at the national sports training institute, BKSP, under new coach and former national defender Mohammad Abu Yousuf.

Zahid Hossain and Zumratul Hossain Mithu of Mohammedan SC and Abul Hossain of Abahani Limited did not join today (Tuesday) while national skipper Hasan al Mamun and Zahed Parvez Chowdhury informed that they would join the camp today (Wednesday).

After reaching the BKSP at noon today, national players made light practice in the afternoon. The residential camp will continue until the team's departure in May for Kyrgyzstan to take part in the AFC Challenge Cup.

The full-fledged training program of the team begins tomorrow (Wednesday) in two sessions -- 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm.

Earlier, on March 22, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) initially picked-up 28 booters to form Bangladesh national team for the two upcoming international meets.

Bangladesh will take part in the qualifying round of the AFC Challenge Cup to be held May 5-10 in Kyrgyzstan, and the SAFF Championship on June 3-14, to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Maldives.

In the AFC Challenge Cup, Bangladesh have been placed in Group C with Afghanistan, Laos and hosts Kyrgyzstan. Bangladesh will play Afghanistan on May 5, Laos on May 7 and hosts Kyrgyzstan on May 9, all at the Bishkek Central Stadium.

In the 5th SAFF Championship, Bangladesh have been placed in Group B with Afghanistan, Bhutan and co-host Sri Lanka. Bangladesh will play Bhutan on June 4, Afghanistan on June 6 and hosts Sri Lanka on June 8.

Most of the selected booters made their practices at the Bangabandhu National Stadium for four days after reporting at the BFF office on March 27.

Bangladesh squad: Aminul Haque, Biplob Bhatachariya, Ziaur Rahman Zia, Hasan Al Mamun, Wali Faisal, Ariful Islam, Rajani Kanta Barman, Arup Kumar Baddya, Atiqur Rahman Mishu, Mahmudul Hasan, Kazi Mozammel Hossain Saikat, Zahirul Islam, Arman Aziz, Enamul Haq Sharif, Maruf Ahmed, Zumratul Hossain Mithu, Faisal Mahmud, Zahid Hossain, Zahid Pervez Zumratul Hossain Mithu Chowdhury, Mohammad Kabir Hossain, Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, Kollal Kumar Ghosh Zuku, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Mehdi Hasan Ujjal, Abul Hossain, Mohammad Robin, Zahid Hasan Ameli and Abdul Baten Majumder Komol.